Inductive Charging, Wave of the Future

The electric car manufacturers are still in disarray regarding a standardized electric charging plug that would be able to service the many different kinds of battery arrays employed in their designs. Many see this as a creation of a monopoly as to a potential goldmine running alongside the increased popularity of the electric car.

To prevent this perceived collusion, an alternative charging option needs to be created, and the best available technology for such is called inductive charging. In this kind of charging, an electromagnetic field transfers energy between two objects. In the case of the electric car, it is between the battery and the charging station. What is essential is that there is compatibility between the inductive coupling configuration between the car and the charger and if compatible, recharging would be a definite breeze.

The set up of this technology is the use of an induction coil to create an alternating electromagnetic field within a defined charging base. A second induction coil is then located in the electric car and can derive power from the electromagnetic field. This collected energy is then turned into electrical current that in turn recharges the battery of the vehicle. In essence, the electric vehicle and the charging base form an electrical transformer. Another technology that allows charging over great distances is the use of a resonant inductive coupling.

There are many advantages in the use of wireless charging for electric vehicles. One of them is the lower risk of electrical shock because of the absence of exposed conductors, unlike conductive charging. The presence of water is also not a deterrent for the charging to be done because of the physical set-up of the car and the charger. Convenience is also another attribute that makes this set up more attractive because wires and other connectors need not be in line or properly attached as merely placing the car over the charging plate can recharge the battery.

There are a few drawbacks though to this wireless charging set up. The charging efficiency is relatively lower compared to other platforms. Furthermore, heat is generated in large quantities that may pose a danger to the electric car. Another issue is the increased cost of the infrastructure as there is a greater demand for drive electronics and coils instead of the standard plug and charge set up of other chargers. These particular drawbacks though are being addressed through reduction of transfer loss and increasing efficiency through ultra thin coils, higher frequencies, and optimized drive electronics. Soon enough, the wireless charging system can eventually take over what the wall charger for the electric car failed to address for all the parties concerned.